Why rap concerts in French are sold out so quickly

Each week, Aurélien Chapuis, alias Le Captain Nemo, looks back on rap news with his favorites, his discoveries and the issues of the moment.

This month of December is a real celebration of French rap on stage: Gazo has exploded a zenith and directly announced an Accor Arena in a year already almost full, Orelsan fills three Défense Arenas in a row and finally Damso is finishing at this very moment with four Accor Arena next. Everything has been full for weeks.

Kerchak did his first sold-out concert at Les Étoiles, announcing directly a Cigale in stride, full a few days later. Same for Lesram who surprises everyone with a Grünt video, a real technical demonstration that ends with an announcement from Cigale too. Full during the day.

These two concerts are in a few weeks so we understand the enthusiasm and the reactivity, but another textbook case, Hamza announced his first Accor Arena of his career on November 22, 2023, in almost a year. It’s full, that’s it. Surely a little thanks to “Fade Up”, big hit of the year 2022 yet without an official clip and its featuring with Tiakola, “Atasanté”, the same without an official clip but six million cumulative views on YouTube.

That means two things: the public buys more concert tickets than records. He is ready to take a place for a concert without knowing what he will do a year later or if the artist will still please him, or if the album (planned for the first quarter of 2023 for Hamza) will be a success. While, precisely, the ascents of artists are more and more rapid and extreme, it is a real big difference to see the interest of the public, of the communities to see their favorite artists live.

This is also explained by the increasingly reduced tours in France and the artists who base everything on big concerts in large halls in Paris, in order to cushion and score a big blow. It’s Zénith, Accor Arena, Défense Arena or festivals, that’s all. Economies of scale are becoming more and more important and mark a revival of live performances in French rap.

Kekra is back and once again, he surprises with a very rapped, very technical, very current title. The clip is also a visual success signed Edith, a parachute drop on a desert planet. Independent and rather solitary of rap, the impact of Kekra is really enormous, as much in the line of conduct, the force of proposal and the artistic constancy. Album Stratos announced on January 27we will of course be there.

People often ask me why I like Lil Durk so much because overall his songs can seem redundant and not very catchy. But personally, I think that every time his voice comes out, it does something to me, his interpretation, his texts, his vision speak to me a lot. For me, it’s the only one that continues to be so relevant ten years after its meteoric debut. He’s the real OG. His latest music video is perfect for that, but also his devastating verse on Babyface Ray’s albumanother rapper by the mile I’m able to listen to all day. Long live Lil Durk.

I’m always fond of Loveni’s music, even more so when Jeune LC is around. This new title is short, but it’s even better. It’s all in the evocation. It’s okay with me.

The nonchalant and balancing flow of My Favorite Color (best name) pairs perfectly with that of current rap Goofy, Valee. In addition, there is an animated clip, my favorites. Really very pleasant.

Metro Boomin’s album continues to turn, it’s very very good from start to finish and it feels almost like family given the recurring guests. big tracks, of 21 Savage with Young Nudy in particularbut it always does something when I hear Takeoff. The title with Rocky is successful with its great sample of soul. Rocky who also released one of the visuals of the year with his latest title “Shittin’ Me”beautiful work.

Another hero who leaves us with Grand Daddy IU at only 54 years old. A true pioneer with the Cold Chillin team, notably author and producer for Biz Markie and Roxanne Shanté in the late 1980s.

His first album Smooth Assassin is a true classic of the genre with samples ahead of their time and a really pleasant and versatile flow, to be stored next to that of Big Daddy Kane. Grand Daddy IU fell a bit by the wayside among the real precursors because he was surrounded by great legends like Kool G Rap, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane… A period of great legends that put Grand Daddy IU aside a little After a second album in 1994 and featurings with Big L or Positive K, he disappeared from the radar a bit, while continuing to produce for Das EFX, KRS One, Ice T or Heltah Skeltah. But his first album really remains a classic of the genre to listen to endlessly.

Rest In Peace Grand Daddy IU